*UPDATED* - We reached out to RIM for further clarification on this matter because as it stands, some Android apps do currently have ads in them. In speaking with them, it was noted that ads will work inside the Android apps the only thing however that is not supported is RIM's own BlackBerry Ad services. In other words, Android developers can still monetize their apps, just not using BlackBerry Ad services.

A huge pain point has surfaced, and it has come to light that Android applications that are running on the BlackBerry PlayBook will not support mobile advertising. This means that developers who launch free applications that feature ads inside as a source of monetization will not be able to monetize their application, making the porting process far less appealing. Another downside is that Android applications will not allow for in-app purchases, so the developer is stuck either going completely free, or putting a price tag on the application and hoping for the best which is far from the ideal situation for these developers.

RIM does not feel as though this will have a huge negative impact on the PlayBook and the success of OS 2 as a whole. Recently they have noticed a huge increase in developer interest with 6,600 new developers registered in just six days, which actually caused them to want to extend the free PlayBook offer to continue to drive the interest of the developers.

“While Android is important to fill out the long tail of apps, the focus is on building out native and HTML5 apps,”(Jeff Gadway, RIM’s Senior Brand & Marketing Communication)

The focus of continuing to build for the BlackBerry brand instead of build for the competitor and port for BlackBerry is a strategy that will have great long term affects. Building natively for the BlackBerry platform will help ensure that users receive better support, faster updates, and an overall better experience.

If you click an ad, it opens in the android browser in the android app player. In there, you can open the android browser's menu and there is an option "View in PlayBook Browser" and when you touch that, it opens the webpage in the Playbook's browser.

That's gotta change long term. The market has spoken, and people would rather have free apps with ads than have to pay for all their apps. I love the choice, to have an ad based version, and a premium version with no ads. Allows me to have a full demo of the product for free, and pay if I want to support the developer...

App World will continue to have a small number of apps if advertising isn't permitted...

I actually believe this is a good move because it means native apps still have the edge over ported apps. RIM needs native apps to have the upperhand otherwise people will just port over Android apps and there won't be a ton of incentive for developers to start developing just for the Playbook and not for Android first.
I also hate ads in my apps, they annoy me to no end. Some apps implement it well and it isn't as terrible but others are horrible.
I just want to see some native apps coming our way, I don't mind the Android apps but I am much more interested in getting some awesome native apps especially once Cascades is released to developers.

Well somebody's wearing the rose coloured glasses. You really think developers are doing this out of the goodness of their heart? Hello? Man, I heard people are nuts but you have taken the cake today. Developers aare gonna disappear faster than you can say "Playbook" when they learn they can't place ads and no app-in purchasing. Seriously, get a brain!

It is much more important to have developers to build higher quality native apps than just port over Android apps. Get them on board first, and then let them make quality apps for the Playbook. They have the choice to make it free, make it cost, or make 2 versions with different features once they make a nice native app.

Speaking as an Android owner, the OS's app quality is generally awful (my opinion), and I wouldn't pay or support a 5 minute conversion. If they make a native app, well that means I would want to support their time and energy.

It's funny that the article talks about RIM dropping the ball on Android apps. Frankly, the point is to have people on the platform and use the awesome tools they have, and to offset the "gap" in app numbers that analysts and people are so fixated on.

Agreed. Quality Playbook apps with the filler of Android apps. They are trying to keep both quality people and quantity people happy. Hopefully they will be right and they can get some of the Android developers to use their tools to make some amazing apps!

rim made a great strategy on how to get devs on board. when they started with 'playbook for an app' deal i got skeptical that devs would just pick up PB and not come back. this way rim can show them that they will have higher number of downloads and it will give them more encouragement to came back and make better quality native apps and make more $.

If I were RIM. I'll let every app. from android market charge the user for 0.99$ for their free app.
but they should let the user have a few days to try it first :) Anyone agree with this ?
I'm the one who go for it. I like my playbook. I think, It's very stable
I don't mind to pay a buck to get free app from android market. :D

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